Tony Venhuizen

Tony Venhuizen
Born	Tonnis Henry Venhuizen 8 10, 1982
Birthplace	Armour, South Dakota, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, attorney
Known for	40th Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota; Chief of Staff to Governors Dennis Daugaard and Kristi Noem
Education	University of South Dakota (JD)
Children	3

Tonnis Henry "Tony" Venhuizen (born October 8, 1982) is an American politician, attorney, and member of the Republican Party who has served as the 40th Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota since January 30, 2025. Before ascending to the state's second-highest executive office, Venhuizen built a career deeply intertwined with South Dakota's executive branch, serving as chief of staff to two governors — Dennis Daugaard, his father-in-law, and Kristi Noem — before winning election to the South Dakota House of Representatives from the 13th district in 2022. Born in the small town of Armour in the southeastern part of the state, Venhuizen rose through the ranks of South Dakota politics with a combination of legal training, policy expertise, and close relationships with the state's Republican leadership. His appointment as lieutenant governor by Governor Larry Rhoden in January 2025 was unanimously confirmed by the state legislature, and he was sworn in on January 30, 2025. In his role as lieutenant governor and president of the state Senate, Venhuizen has been at the center of significant constitutional questions regarding the scope of the office's legislative authority.

Early Life

Tony Venhuizen was born on October 8, 1982, in Armour, a small community in Douglas County in the southeastern part of the state. Armour, with a population of several hundred residents, is a rural agricultural community typical of the South Dakota prairie. Venhuizen's given name, Tonnis, reflects the Dutch heritage common among families in that region of South Dakota, where many communities were settled by immigrants from the Netherlands.

Venhuizen grew up in this rural environment before eventually moving to larger South Dakota communities for his education and career. His family connections would later become significant in his political career; he married into the family of Dennis Daugaard, who served as the 32nd governor of South Dakota from 2011 to 2019. Daugaard became Venhuizen's father-in-law, a relationship that would shape the trajectory of his professional life in state government.

Education

Venhuizen pursued his undergraduate education at South Dakota State University in Brookings, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. He subsequently attended the University of South Dakota School of Law in Vermillion, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree. His legal education provided the foundation for his later work in state government, where he would be involved in policy development and legislative affairs at the highest levels of South Dakota's executive branch.

Career

Chief of Staff to Governor Dennis Daugaard

Venhuizen's career in state government began in the administration of Governor Dennis Daugaard, who took office in January 2011. Venhuizen served in various capacities within the Daugaard administration before being named chief of staff. His appointment to the chief of staff role was announced in November 2014, making him one of the key figures in the governor's office during Daugaard's second term. In this position, Venhuizen was responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the governor's office, coordinating policy initiatives, and serving as a primary liaison between the executive branch and the state legislature.

The chief of staff role gave Venhuizen extensive experience in the inner workings of state government and established him as a significant figure in South Dakota Republican politics. His tenure under Daugaard spanned the remainder of the governor's time in office, through January 2019. The position also underscored the close personal and professional ties between Venhuizen and Daugaard, who is his father-in-law.

Chief of Staff to Governor Kristi Noem

When Kristi Noem succeeded Daugaard as governor in January 2019, Venhuizen initially did not serve in her administration. However, in March 2020, Venhuizen joined the Noem administration as chief of staff, becoming one of her top advisors and staffers. His arrival coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which presented unprecedented challenges for state governments across the country.

As Noem's chief of staff, Venhuizen was identified as one of the governor's key allies and top staffers during a period when Noem was gaining national attention within Republican circles. He spoke publicly about his experience serving as chief of staff for the second time, noting the differences and similarities between the two administrations he had served.

Venhuizen's tenure as Noem's chief of staff ended before the completion of her term. The role of chief of staff was subsequently assumed by Mark Miller, whose duties and those of his predecessors were examined in an Argus Leader report in January 2022.

South Dakota House of Representatives

After departing the governor's office, Venhuizen pursued elected office for the first time, running for a seat in the South Dakota House of Representatives from the 13th district, which includes parts of the Sioux Falls area. The 2022 Republican primary in District 13 was closely watched as a potential indicator of intra-party dynamics within the South Dakota Republican Party.

Venhuizen was successful in the June 2022 primary election, advancing to the general election. He won his seat and took office on January 10, 2023, representing the 13th district alongside fellow Republican Sue Peterson.

During his time in the legislature, Venhuizen was active on several policy fronts. He supported legislation to increase the state's Opportunity Scholarship amount, a measure that was approved by the House in February 2023. He also weighed in on debates regarding Medicaid expansion, with lawmakers including Venhuizen discussing the possibility of adding work requirements to the state's Medicaid expansion program during the 2024 legislative session.

Additionally, Venhuizen was involved in tax policy discussions, advocating for a proposal that would use a sales tax increase to fund property tax reductions for homeowners, reflecting ongoing debates in South Dakota about the balance between different forms of taxation. Property tax and sales tax reform continued to be prominent legislative issues heading into subsequent sessions.

Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota

On January 27, 2025, Larry Rhoden was sworn in as the 34th governor of South Dakota following the departure of Kristi Noem, who left office to join the federal government. Rhoden's ascension to the governorship from the lieutenant governor's office created a vacancy in the lieutenant governorship, and Rhoden selected Venhuizen to fill the position.

Venhuizen's nomination was advanced through the legislative confirmation process. The nomination was first considered by a Senate committee before advancing to the full Senate for a vote. His confirmation was unanimous in both the Senate and the House, reflecting broad legislative support for his appointment. Venhuizen was sworn in as the 40th lieutenant governor of South Dakota on January 30, 2025. His predecessor in the 13th district House seat was succeeded by Jack Kolbeck.

Senate Tie-Breaking Authority

In his capacity as lieutenant governor and president of the South Dakota Senate, Venhuizen became the central figure in a significant constitutional question in February 2026. Under the South Dakota Constitution, the lieutenant governor serves as president of the Senate but is traditionally understood to vote only in the case of a tie. However, the precise scope of this tie-breaking authority became a matter of dispute.

In February 2026, Venhuizen opted not to break a tie on a bill intended to make a sales tax reduction permanent, effectively allowing the measure to fail. The decision not to cast a tie-breaking vote raised questions about whether the lieutenant governor had the authority — or the obligation — to break ties in the Senate, and whether this power was discretionary.

Governor Rhoden subsequently requested an advisory opinion from the South Dakota Supreme Court on the matter. On February 18, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled that the lieutenant governor does possess the constitutional authority to cast tie-breaking votes in the Senate. Governor Rhoden thanked the court for its "prompt and thoughtful opinion" on the question.

Despite the court's clarification that the authority exists, Venhuizen continued to exercise discretion in its application. In February 2026, a charter school bill failed in the South Dakota Senate on a tie vote after Venhuizen declined to break the deadlock, allowing the measure to fail. These episodes prompted broader discussion about the institutional role of the lieutenant governor in the legislative process, including debate over whether the lieutenant governor should continue to serve as Senate president.

Policy Initiatives

As lieutenant governor, Venhuizen has been involved in advancing policy priorities of the Rhoden administration. In January 2026, he appeared before the Joint Appropriations Committee to urge passage of a Rural Health Transformation bill, stating that the legislature needed to "get this done" on the time-sensitive measure. The bill addressed the delivery of healthcare services in rural areas of South Dakota, an issue of particular significance given the state's large rural population and the challenges of maintaining healthcare infrastructure in sparsely populated regions.

Personal Life

Tony Venhuizen resides in the Sioux Falls area. He is married to a daughter of former South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard, making Daugaard his father-in-law. Venhuizen and his wife have three children.

Venhuizen is a licensed attorney in South Dakota, having earned his law degree from the University of South Dakota School of Law. His family roots in the state trace back to the small community of Armour, in Douglas County, reflecting the Dutch-American heritage common in that part of the state.

Recognition

Venhuizen's unanimous confirmation as lieutenant governor by both chambers of the South Dakota Legislature in January 2025 reflected the broad bipartisan respect he had earned through his years of service in state government. His career trajectory — from gubernatorial chief of staff to state legislator to lieutenant governor — has been noted as an example of steady advancement through the ranks of South Dakota's political establishment.

The constitutional questions raised by Venhuizen's approach to the tie-breaking authority in the Senate attracted statewide media coverage and commentary, placing him at the center of a significant discussion about the separation of powers and the institutional design of South Dakota's government. The South Dakota Supreme Court's advisory opinion in response to the controversy became an important precedent clarifying the powers of the lieutenant governor's office.